909 replies to this topic

[wimb]

@ericgl

 

Tiny PXE Server is very useful for me and recently I like most PXE wimboot of Win8.1SE

It is quite simple to get this arrangement working.

 

It allows to boot from Network in 35 sec with a very powerful and perfect x64 boot.wim PE of size 400 MB

where all drivers are installed and PENetwork allows to make Network drives and 32-bits programs e.g. Ghost32.exe can be used.

 

http://reboot.pro/to...e-2#entry182393

http://www.msfn.org/...-5#entry1070433

 

[erwan.l]

Hi,

 

I confirm that it works :

 

1-made an image file of my bootable usb disk with CloneDisk

2-hosted it via my aoe server thru vblade GUI

3-booted with over PXE with TinyPXE Server

 

And ... here we come : my remote machine booted on the pseudo local hard drive over AOE

 

Regards,

Erwan.

 

Note1 : that would work the exact same with iSCSI.

 

Note2: attached a screenshot of vgui at works.

 

Attached Files

•  vgui.png   35.76KB   0 downloads

[ericgl]

Erwan,

 

Any chance you'll add this functionality to Tiny PXE Server, so that we would only need to deal with one app?

[erwan.l]

Hi Ericgl,

 

Coding an AOE target is on not my immediate todo list.

First because it is a lot of work, then because the existing solution (vblade) is free, opensource, and works well.

 

Still, latest TinyPXE Server (just uploaded) can now launch an external batch/executable :

 

-add cmd=vblade.bat in config.ini (under theh [dhcp] section)

 

-create a vblade.bat with the following text (you'll have to adapt the adapter id) :

vblade.exe -r -b 65  0 0 "\device\NPF_{A91B63C5-B714-403C-9D7F-C0ED85D6244C}" "C:\usb.img"

-when you click online in TinyPXE Server, it will launch the batch file and therefore will start the AOE target.

 

Note that blade requires winpcap, a lightweight driver.

[erwan.l]

Ericgl,

 

Side note, i noticed in a previous post you mentionned your had only 7MB of files on your 8GB USB disk?

 

That would probably then be lot of easier to redo a floppy image (with winimage for instance) and use the easier/classical memdisk approach thus avoiding a more complex setup made of AOE.

 

EDIT : dont forget #!ipxe as first line in ipxe scripts.

kernel /memdisk raw
initrd /floppy.img
boot

[ericgl]

Erwan,

 

First, thank you for all your effort trying to help me and others.

 

In my particular case, I'm trying to make this process as hassle-free as possible, since I'm going to use it with people who are much less tech-savvy than me.

This means that it requires an app that is free, portable and does not require drivers. I could probably manage to use TinyPXE Server with vBlade and Winpcap successfully, but not the people who I work with.

 

Yes, I only have 7MB total on my USB flash drive. I'll give winimage a try after the weekend. Thanks!

[wimb]

@ericgl

 

The procedure discussed concerns only How to get the Server running properly and that is on your own 7x64 PC.

For the clients everything is quite easy since they only need to select PXE Booting by pressing F12 or press F8 and select PXE in BIOS Boot Menu.

There are no changes in software settings and no extra driver needed on the client pc's.

 

[erwan.l]

Erwan,

 

First, thank you for all your effort trying to help me and others.

 

In my particular case, I'm trying to make this process as hassle-free as possible, since I'm going to use it with people who are much less tech-savvy than me.

This means that it requires an app that is free, portable and does not require drivers. I could probably manage to use TinyPXE Server with vBlade and Winpcap successfully, but not the people who I work with.

 

Yes, I only have 7MB total on my USB flash drive. I'll give winimage a try after the weekend. Thanks!

 

Hi Ericgl,

 

I have attached a 16 MB disk image which is bootable (mbr=grub4dos) with one FAT active partition containing a DOS system.

 

Here is my ipxe code :

initrd /images/disk.img
kernel /memdisk raw 
boot

You can mount the file with imdisk or winimage and change the content.

 

Regards,

Erwan

 

EDIT : dont forget #!ipxe as first line in ipxe scripts.

Attached Files

•  disk.zip   981.16KB   11 downloads

[ericgl]

@Wimb,

 

No, you mis-understood. I need other people that work with me to run the PXE server on their PC. They will connect to their target machines, which are set up to boot to PXE LAN first.

I'm trying to get a proper (and easy) procedure, and then I'll teach them how to do it.

 

@Erwan,

 

Thanks. I'll try to modify this image to my needs, and see if it works.

I'll be at work on Sunday, so I'll report back with results.

[Sfor]

Since this is a case of "Ghosting" a remote PC, there is already an open source solution. FOG was designed to run as a linux based server with WEB interface. It is a ready to go solution for imaging and restoring hard drives of remote workstations. All an operator has to do is to shedule the task. FOG will turn the remote computer on, do the task, than switch it off.

 

Unfortunately, the solution was created for NTFS single partition mostly, so it is not perfect for my needs. That's why I'm using a modified SystemRescue CD booted by PXE, instead. I can access the SystemRescue CD remotely and do the partition imaging or restoring manualy.

Edited by Sfor, 08 March 2014 - 07:45 AM.

[ericgl]

Erwan,

 

For the life of me, I just can't get TinyPXE Server to boot the IMG file you gave me.

After multiple tries, which failed, I decided to try serva (non Supporter) v2.1.4.

 

Well, with serva (BINL and proxyDHCP are checked), I managed to boot and see the green grub boot menu.

With TinyPXE Server v1.0.0.16 (BINL and proxyDHCP checked, ipxe-undionly.kpxe, usb.ipxe), I get stuck at:

tftp://[Server_IP]/usb.ipxe... ok

 

Screenshot from VirtualBox (live target machine displays the same):

 

 

Am I doing something wrong?

[ericgl]

I also have another important question:

 

Is it somehow possible to have the host PC (the one running the PXE server) to control the target machine using the host's monitor and keyboard?

What I mean is - After I manage to boot the target machine via PXE LAN, I want to see the output of its monitor on my PC's monitor, and control the target machine with my PC's keyboard (like VNC, RDP, etc).

 

This is useful when the target machine is not in the same room, and I need to boot it, control it and monitor it - all from my PC.

 

I heard that some recent Intel chipsets allow this sort of control (Intel vPro), but all my target machines are old and don't even have an Intel chipset.

[erwan.l]

Erwan,
 
For the life of me, I just can't get TinyPXE Server to boot the IMG file you gave me.
After multiple tries, which failed, I decided to try serva (non Supporter) v2.1.4.
 
Well, with serva (BINL and proxyDHCP are checked), I managed to boot and see the green grub boot menu.
With TinyPXE Server v1.0.0.16 (BINL and proxyDHCP checked, ipxe-undionly.kpxe, usb.ipxe), I get stuck at:
tftp://[Server_IP]/usb.ipxe... ok
 
Screenshot from VirtualBox (live target machine displays the same):
 

 
Am I doing something wrong?

1-Do not tick BINL. No need for it.

 

2-Please post a screenshot of TPS.

 

3-Display the content of usb.ipxe

 

see my TPS config here :

 

 

[erwan.l]

I also have another important question:
 
Is it somehow possible to have the host PC (the one running the PXE server) to control the target machine using the host's monitor and keyboard?
What I mean is - After I manage to boot the target machine via PXE LAN, I want to see the output of its monitor on my PC's monitor, and control the target machine with my PC's keyboard (like VNC, RDP, etc).
 
This is useful when the target machine is not in the same room, and I need to boot it, control it and monitor it - all from my PC.
 
I heard that some recent Intel chipsets allow this sort of control, but all my target machines are old and don't even have an Intel chipset.

Motherboards with BMC chip on board allow this.
I do this at work but only on server hardware.

[ericgl]

Screenshot of TinyPXE Server:

 

 

Un-checking BINL didn't help. Still the same.

 

BTW, the contents of usb.ipxe is:

kernel /memdisk raw 
initrd rescue.img
boot

[erwan.l]

Screenshot of TinyPXE Server:

 

 

Un-checking BINL didn't help. Still the same.

 

copy paste your usb.ipxe.

 

 

I see that ipxe bootcode get downloaded fine, then it download usb.ipxe script, and at this point it should execute it.

Could be something wrong with your ipxe script : add this as first line -> echo "hello world!".

You should see it displayed when booting.

And make sure, if you copy pasted, that you have a proper line return for each line.

 

Also, do not nother inputing your router and dns server : leave the default please.

[ericgl]

Changed usb.ipxe to:

echo "hello world!"
kernel /memdisk raw 
initrd rescue.img
boot

But I don't see "Hello World", it doesn't appear. The output is still the same.

 

I did not touch any of the IP fields in TPS. Everything is at default.

[erwan.l]

EDIT : seen you ipxe code from the previous post. looks good.

EDIT2 : the grub screen you see with serva is not the one from your image but the default grub screen from serva bootloader (I believe) -> serva does not chainload an ipxe script on top of ipxe.

 

Still :

-ensure gateway is : 0.0.0.0

-leave dns as is

-add echo "hello world" as first line in your ipxe script

-do the initrd before memdisk

[ericgl]

Erwan,

Which option is Gateway? Option 3 Router?

The IP that TPS selected is OK (192.168.1.254), it is the IP of my router. Should I change it to 0.0.0.0 ?

[erwan.l]

 

Changed usb.ipxe to:

echo "hello world!"
kernel /memdisk raw 
initrd rescue.img
boot

But I don't see "Hello World", it doesn't appear. The output is still the same.

 

I did not touch any of the IP fields in TPS. Everything is at default.

 

 

i have no idea why ipxe would not execute your script on your remote host :-(

instead of ipxe-undionly.kpxe, maybe try the other boot loader ipxe.pxe ?

 

EDIT : dont forget #!ipxe as first line in ipxe scripts.

[erwan.l]

Erwan,

Which option is Gateway? Option 3 Router?

The IP that TPS selected is OK (192.168.1.254), it is the IP of my router. Should I change it to 0.0.0.0 ?

 

sorry my bad, i meant the router  - option 3 indeed.

 

see my previous post on the changing the boot load to ipxe.pxe as well (in the zip file) if changing the router to 0.0.0.0 does not help.

[ericgl]

ipxe.pxe doesn't help. Output on target is still the same.

Changing the router IP to 0.0.0.0 also doesn't help.

[erwan.l]

oops ...

sometimes details are so small that i just overlook them ...

 

sorry for the waste of time.

 

correct code (fixing previous post to ensure that other dont trip on this one...)

#!ipxe
echo "hello world"
kernel /memdisk raw
initrd /images/disk.img
boot

[ericgl]

Now I see "Hello World", but something is wrong with the script:

 

[erwan.l]

Try "my" boot image first please (the one in the attached zip file some previous posts ago).

 

Also, put the line initrd /images/disk.img before the line kernel /memdisk raw.

 

You should then see the img file transferred via TFTP before transfering/executing the memdisk.

 

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